How to print a big picture on several sheets of paper
- Choose your image or PDF. Photos, maps, floor plans, charts, kids’ drawings, a classroom timetable: anything works.
- Set the size. Say how many sheets wide it should be, or type the finished width in centimetres or inches. The height follows the picture’s shape.
- Pick overlap and marks. A 5 mm overlap makes gluing forgiving; cut marks and labels (A1, A2, B1…) show where every sheet goes.
- Download and print at 100%. Choose Actual size in the print dialog, never Fit to page.
- Trim and join. Cut on the marks, then tape or glue the sheets together row by row, using the assembly map on page 1.
How big will it be?
Each sheet contributes its printable area: the paper minus a 10 mm margin on each side (190 × 277 mm on A4), minus any overlap. Typical results with A4 in portrait and a 5 mm overlap:
| Sheets | Poster width | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 × 2 | about 38 cm (15 in) | Small poster, birthday sign |
| 3 × 3 | about 56 cm (22 in) | Classroom chart, map, wall photo |
| 4 × 4 | about 74 cm (29 in) | Large wall poster |
| 6 × 6 | about 1.1 m (44 in) | Banner, event backdrop |
The height depends on your picture: a landscape photo needs fewer rows than columns. Set Sheet direction to “Fewest sheets” and the tool turns the paper whichever way uses less of it.
Will it be sharp?
Print sharpness depends on how many image pixels land on each inch of paper (dpi). The tool works this out for your size and warns you when it gets low.
| Print resolution | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| 150 dpi or more | Sharp, even close up |
| 90–150 dpi | Good from a step or two away, which is how posters are viewed |
| Under 90 dpi | Visibly soft or blocky up close |
A 12-megapixel phone photo (4000 pixels wide) prints at 150 dpi up to about 68 cm wide. PDFs with text, lines or vector drawings stay perfectly sharp at any size, because the tool places the page itself rather than a picture of it.
Overlap or no overlap?
- 5–10 mm overlap (recommended): neighbouring sheets repeat a thin strip. Trim the left and top margins, lay each sheet over the one before it up to the dashed line and glue. Small cutting errors disappear under the overlap.
- No overlap: cut exactly on the marks and butt the edges together, taping from the back. It saves a little paper but any cutting error shows as a white line.
Tips for a clean result
- Use a ruler and a craft knife rather than scissors for straight edges.
- A glue stick wrinkles thin paper less than liquid glue. For a sturdy poster, mount the sheets on card or foam board.
- Check one sheet first: the printed picture area should measure exactly what the tool says (190 × 277 mm on A4 with 10 mm margins).
- If your printer can print closer to the edge, lower the margin to 5 mm to waste less paper.
Frequently asked questions
How do I print one picture across several pages?
Choose the picture, set how many pages wide the poster should be (or its width in cm or inches), then download the PDF and print it at 100% / Actual size. Trim the marked margins and tape or glue the sheets together using the labels (A1, A2, B1…).
How big can the poster be?
As big as you like, up to 20 × 20 sheets. Sharpness is the real limit: the tool shows the print resolution and warns when the image will look soft. About 150 dpi looks sharp on a wall; below 100 dpi it looks blurry up close.
What is the overlap for?
With an overlap, neighbouring sheets repeat a strip of the image (5 or 10 mm). You glue one sheet over the next on that strip, so small trimming errors don’t leave white gaps. With no overlap, cut exactly on the marks and butt the edges together.
Why is there a white margin on every sheet?
Home printers can’t print to the very edge. The image is placed only inside the printable area (10 mm from each edge by default), and cut marks show where to trim.
Can I print a PDF as a poster?
Yes. Choose a PDF and the page to enlarge. PDF pages are placed as vectors, so text and lines stay sharp at any size, unlike a photo.
Is my file uploaded?
No. The tiles and the PDF are made in your browser, so private photos and documents never leave your device.
Last updated 2026-10-19.